Recess a challenge for schools in winter

Winter can be a great time for fun outdoors, but when it comes to recess it presents some significant challenges.

By MARK SPENCLEYmark@cheboygantribune.com

Winter can be a great time for fun outdoors, but when it comes to recess it presents some significant challenges.

“We have a rule of 12 degrees or higher for us to let the kids outside,” said Stephen Seeley, Wolverine Elementary School principal. “It more of an art than a science though. Whenever its close to that temperature we go outside and feel the conditions and watch the weather forecast really closely.”This winter has been a light one, little snow and reasonable temperatures, but those aren’t the only factors that keep kids indoors.Warm days produce sloppy conditions, which are just as limiting as the frigid temperatures.“When it really sloppy, we have to keep the kids in, but if it’s at all possible, we like to get them outside if we can,” said Mike Duvall, West Elementary principal. “Its good for them to be able to run around a little bit and expend some energy.”Expending energy is a healthy and important part of each elementary student’s day. When the weather doesn’t allow outdoor recesses, teachers and administrators have to get creative.Duvall and his staff try to get students into the gym when it’s frigid outside. A little running or other exercise to burn excess energy can do wonders for kids’ attentiveness and behavior in the classroom.“They need that,” Duvall said of students getting exercise. “It’s important.”Wolverine Community Elementary principal Stephen Seelye couldn’t agree more.“We dread those days, when it’s too cold for the kids to go outside,” he said. “They need that time to run around and burn energy.”Logistically, it doesn’t always work out for students to get into the gym, but there are alternatives to help kids release energy.“We’ll have students in the computer lab or watching a movie in their classroom,” said Seelye. “It helps keep them occupied when they can’t go outside.”Temperatures are supposed to be reasonable through the weekend, but `approaching rain could leave playgrounds muddy by Monday.

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